Roofing



Patented Aug. 19, 1930- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OHESTER E. RAHR, OF BBOOKLINE, MASSACHU'SETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MEENTS, T0 TEE PATENT AND LICEN'SING GORPOBATION, OF BOSTON, MASSACHU- SETTS, A CORPORATION O1 MASSACHU'SE'ITS ROOFING Application filed March 2, 1926. Seria1 N0. 91,839.

This invention relates to a method of manufacturing roofing elements, an object of the invention being to provide a simple and comvenient way of making shingle strips which when laid Will present the appearance of having spaces between consecutive shingle simulating portions. The method comprises coating a roofing base which may comprise a sheet of saturated felt 01 other suitable material with asphaltum 01' ot-her similar compound, as is commonly practised in the art. On the coated surface 015 the base is laid a template or cut-out sheet of any suitable material such as thin asbestos, saturated felt, untreated paper, 01 glazed, waxed, or oiled paper. Comminuted material, such as grit, 01 any desired (20101,orelectricallyconductivc particles, is then deposited on 01 otherwise applied to t-he sheet and embedded in the exposed areas of coating by any of the methods we1l known in the art, such as by press rolls 01' by tension of the sheet over drums. The template prevents the grit from sticking to the covered port-ions of the coated surface of the sheet. The sheets are then cut into the usual strip form, the pattern of the template being so arranged that the covered or upper portion of each strip Wh6n laid will be surfaced with a portion of ehe template, while the exposed 01 lower part of the strip will exhibita row of grit-covered areas separated by areas 0r stripes of the templatematerial. This material may be such that it will soon wash ofi from the exposed part of the shingle strip after the roof is laid, leaving black lines between the grit-covered areas, 01' it may be such as will resist the action of the weather. A variety of effects are furthermore obtainable by using templates of colors contrasting with that 0f the grit. These efiects may be temporary or, by the use of Weatherproof material such for example .as coated aper 0r fe1t for the template, such effects may e made permanent.

If it is desired to coat the shingle strip with metal such as copper, the template may be of oiled 0T glazed paper to prevent the adhesion of the graphite 01' other comminuted conductive material which may be applied to the sheet, th e copper p1ating thus being eonfined to the areas not covered by the template. If a continuous coating of copper be desired for the exposed portion of the unit, t-he template may be made of a material, e. g. saturated felt to which graphite Will adhere, but which Will not hold grit to its surface. In this case, the areas covered by the template would receive a smooth coating of copper contrasting with the raised and irregular surface deposited 011 the areas covered by the layer of conductive grit. Graphite o1 conducting material may be applied, if desired, t0 the lower edge of the strip after cutting and before plating, so that the copper coat Will also cover the cut edge, but this is not essential. v

The roofing strip produced bythisinvention is light and streng, has a pleasing appearance, has excellent protective qualities, and is easily and economically mapufactured.

On the drawing,

Figure 1 represents a fragment of a sheet of material for the template.

Figure 2 shows the same fragment .emfterthe desired patternhas been cut.

Figure 8 shows t-he fragmental template applied to a cornesponding fragm'ent of a saturated and coated sheet of roofing felt.

Figure 4: shows a single strip cut from the sheet.

Figure 5 is a section on the line 55 0f Figure 4.

Figure 6 shows a pattern arranged for longitudinal cutting.

Referring t0 the drawing in detail, 10 represents a fragmentary portion of a sheet 0f material suitable for a tcmplate, such as thin asbestos paper or the like. This sheet is preferably of the same width as the sheet of roofing material to which it is to be applied. Any desired pattern is cut o1 stamped out of the sheet 10, one form being shown in Figure 2 and comprising transverse rows of perforations 11 separated by relatively narrow stripes 12, the rows being spaced by portions 13 of the sheet 10. As illustrated in Figure 6, the template muy also be designed so as t0 dispose the units to be cut from the sheet longitudinally thereof. In either casc, the template may be designed and the sheet cut so tha .t th e stripes als the ends of 1:h e un its will be one-half the normal width, as shown in Fiszure 6.

A sheet of saturated roofing felt 14 0r other suitable materia1 may have a. coating 15 of adhesive material which may be bituminous, such as blown asphalt 01 other thermoplastic waterproofing compound applied thereto, followed by the template sheet which will cover und adhere to part of the coated area, leaving Parts exposed through the cutout-s 11. Comminuted material, such as grit 01 its equivalent, may be deposited on the sheet and rolled in by suitable press rolls known to the art. Particles of the grit will adhere to and cover the areas not covered by the t emplate but the areas covered by the template will be kept free from grit. If it is desired to e1ectroplate the strip with a metal such as copper an electrically conductive material 16 may be substituted for the grit, such for example, as carbon crystals, graphite, granules, coke electro-conductive grits or a mixture'of any of these. In case the template is made of oiled paper or any other non-conducting material to which graphite will not readily adhere, the

stripes 12 will not receive a deposit of metal when the unit is dipped in the electrolytic bath, but the film of metal 17 will be confined to the areas not covered by the template. It may be desirable, however, t'o plate with Copper the entire exposed ortion of the unit, in which case the template is preferably of some material, such as saturated felt, to which graphite will adhere while grit will not. Application of graphite and conductive grit t0 the sheet will thus result in a thin smooth layer of graphite on the template andathick layer of grit on the areas not covered by the template. The grit gives these ar'eas a raised, rough surface, which is substantially reproduced by the film of metal deposited in the electrolytic bath. Thus the exposed portion of the unit (which may be the extent to which the unit is immersed in the electrolyte) is wholly covered with a continuous film of metal, the film on the template-covered zireas being of contrastingsmogthness, and lower than the grit-covered areas. By this. latter process, it is possible to have a metal-plated shingle strip having shingle-simulating portions set ofl by contrasting stripes, but avoiding the undes1rable feature inherent in such a strip when made with actual cut -outs between the shingle-simulating areas, nemely, the liebility of the film Of copper to crack above the cut-out when the strip is flexed. It is t0 be understood that the ex osed portionof a roofing unit, as used in t e specification and claims, refers t0 that portion of the surface of a unit which when laid on a, roof will normally be exposed to the weather.

The sheet with its coated surface covered partly by the template und. partly by comminuted material may be cut into strips by any suitable means with reference to the pattern of the template. As shown in Figure 3, these cuts may be made transversely of the sheet through each row of perforations 11 und through the portions 13 of the template which space the rows of perforation. This may produce a strip of roofing as s'hown in Figure 4, the upper portion of which is covered by the thin asbestos, paper 01 equivalent material, but free from grit. The loweir portion which Will be exposed to the weather When the roof is 1aid, gives the appearance of separate s1ated shingles, the grit-coated areas being spaced by the stripes 12 0f the template. These exposed stripes if of asbestos 0r untreated papier will ordinarily wear ofi' with the weather, leaving stripes of black Coating between the grit-covered areas. The template may, however, be made of more durable material, such as saturated felt 01' coated felt orpaper, in which case the template would present a durable surface tothe weather. A variety of color eflects may also be obtained by the use .o f suitable materials. F01 example, the template may be made of a saturated paper coated with stearine pitch mixed with a pigrrient such as red oxide. By selecting a gri t of suitable contrasting color, permanent and pleasing efl'ects are teadily obtainable. y

The patterns o f the template shown in the dr'awing are for the purposes of illustration' on1y, and while they are preferred forms, the invention is not to be limited thereto, but may inc1ude any size, shape und arrangement of cut-outs.

I claim:

1. The method of making 'roofing which comprises applying a template to a coated sheet of p1e ared roofing material, depositing cornminute material on said sheet, and cutting the sheet with reference to the pattern of the template into strips.

2. The method of maki'ng roofing which comprises coating a sheet of roofing base with a waterproofing compound, cutting a, templat and applying it to the coated surface of said sheet, depositin comminuted material on said sheet, embe ding said comminuted material in the surface of the coated areaS .not covered by the template und cutt-ing the -rial 0n said sheet, embedding said material in the surface of the coated areas not covered by the template, and cutting ehe sheet transversely through each row 0f perforations.

4. The method. of making roofing which comprises coating a sheet of roofing base with a Waterproofing compound, cutting a, template of non-conductive matel'ial and applying it t-o the coated surface of the sheet, depositing comminuted electrically conductive material on the coated areas notcovered by the template, cutting said sheet into strips, and electro-plating the areas covered by said conductive material 5. The method of making roofing Which comprises coating a sheet of roofing base with a waterproofing compound, cutting a template of electrically non-conductive material and applying it to the coated surface of the sheet, depositing comminuted electrically conductive material on the coated areas not covered by the template, and electro-plating the areas covered by said conductive material.

6. The method of making roo fing Which comprises coating a sheet of prepared roofing felt with a waterproof compou11d, cutting a 'template With spaced rows of rectangular perforations, applying the template to the coated surface of said sheet, depositing comminuted material on the coated side of said sheet, embedding said material in the surface of the uncovered coated areas, and autting the sheet'transversely through each row of perforations.

7. A roofing strip comprising a roofing base, a, coating of waterproof compound over .one side of said base, a template having entout portions adhering 130 and covering a part of said coating, comminuted electrically C011- ductive material adhering t0 the areas of coating not covered by said template, and a fil1n of electrolytic metal overlying said mate1ial.

8. The method of making roofing Which comprises coating a sheet of roofing base with a waterproofing compound, eutting a template and applying it t0 the coated surface of said sheet, applying a layer of electrically conductive powder to the template, applying an electrically condfictiver layer comprising rit-like particles 120 the areas not covered %y the template, cutting the sheet into units, and depositing a film 0f metal in a continuous sheet on the entire exposed surface of the unit.

9. A roofing unit comprising a strip of roofing base, a layer of waterproof coating material on one face thereof, a template adhering t0 the coated face of the unit, commisignature.

CHESTER E. RAHR.

nuted material embedded in the surface of the coating not coviared by the template, and a continuous film of electrolytic metal overlying and completely covering the exposed surface of the unit.

10. A roofing unit comprising a strip of coated roofing base, the exposed surface 0f 

